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Mayo Scientist in Training to Become

Ireland’s First Astronaut

Dr. Norah Patten talks to Linkline about Project PoSSUM, her obsession with space

and her hopes for the Irish space sector. INTERVIEW

Dr. Norah Patten, Project PoSSUM

A scientist from Ballina in County Mayo is currently in training courses for secondary school and university students over
to become Ireland’s first astronaut. the age of fifteen, undergraduate students and professionals
holding an accredited B.S. degree in a STEM related field.
Dr. Norah Patten was one out of 12 participants from around
the world to be chosen to train as an astronaut as part of
Project PoSSUM, the astronautics research and education
programme studying noctilucent clouds in the Earth’s
upper-atmosphere and its role in the changing global
climate.

What are Noctilucent clouds?
Noctilucent clouds are the highest clouds in the Earth’s
atmosphere, 83 km (50 miles) and are observed slightly
below the mesopause in the polar summertime. These
clouds are of special interest, as they are sensitive to both Project PoSSUM is a non-profit research and education
global climate change and to solar/terrestrial influences. organisation which has been training citizen scientists for
work in the upper atmosphere and suborbital space in
What is Project PoSSUM? conjunction with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University since
PoSSUM, an acronym for Polar Suborbital Science in the 2015. The project was developed by its Executive Director, Dr.
Upper Mesosphere, provides three types of intense training Jason Reimuller.

The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport 9